


A Blade Like No Other

by potatoproduct



Category: X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: F/F, Vampire Hunter AU, warning for blood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-20
Updated: 2015-08-29
Packaged: 2018-04-16 08:59:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4619394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/potatoproduct/pseuds/potatoproduct
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kitty Pryde loves the taste of adventure and the sweet victory that comes from beheading a hellish vampire. But! Her swashbuckling lifestyle is abruptly changed by the arrival of an experienced hunter with shining silver sword. Who is this mystery girl and why does she insist on swiping Kitty’s kill at the last moment?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The stone church cast a terrifying silhouette against the cloud filled sky when the lightning filled the inky night. It hadn’t begun to rain yet, but the young woman hiding in the damp alleyway between the close-set buildings was already covered in muck and grime. Her dark brown curls have loosed themselves from place, much to her dismay. Katherine “Kitty” Pryde did not mean to go about the town like a ragamuffin, but the damp weather and her rather...   _peculiar_ activities gave her hair a mind of its own.

Her beautiful rapier clanked softly against her boots as she snuck closer to where her quarry had run off. A shadow, a glimpse of a dark figure and a sticky crimson blood trail had led Ms. Pryde directly to this alley. Excitement shot through her body, sharpening her focus and heightening her senses. It was times like this when she realized how apt her feline nickname truly was. The prey had vanished from sight, but instinct told Kitty her moment to strike had come.

With a leap as graceful as a dancer, she dashed into the darkness of the now abandoned place of worship. The creature, pale as bone and slicked from lip to breast with blood, whipped to face her. _He’s weak,_ Kitty thought. She drew her sword, a three foot steel blade, as wicked and quick as a shadow. The dark imp, a vampire straight from the pit, snarled.

“Any last words, villain?” Kitty asked with a sly grin, knowing full well her blade would remove the demonspawn’s head before it could utter a syllable. Her witty flourish was stopped abruptly by a silver swordtip bursting forth through the vampire’s heart. Black inky shadows and sulferous dust burst out from its corpse, revealing the slayer.

She was not tall, but had a good few inches on Kitty. Her blonde hair shone even in the dark gloom of the church, the only spot of color in an otherwise entirely black wardrobe. Blunt cut bangs cast a shadow over her face, but Kitty could tell the woman was entirely too attractive. After the initial shock passed, Kitty got mad.

“Excuse me, but that was my prey! Didn’t you hear my handsome line?” she called out at the woman. She gestured to her sword arm, still raised to behead the vampire, “I am clearly posed for the disposal of vampiric vermin!”

The blonde woman scoffed and began to walk away. Kitty hitched up her overcoat and took chase. The other girl’s sword gleamed in a way Kitty’s steel never did. _Must be silver,_ Kitty mused. The blonde’s cold air bothered Kitty, reminding her of the cruel girls at her boarding schools. Kitty sped up to close the gap between the two of them.

“Hey! Don’t ignore me! I’m a hunter, too! We could work together,” Kitty said as she struggled to keep up with the other girl’s longer stride.

The blonde girl stopped suddenly causing Kitty to stumble over herself. “I work alone,” the girl said, “And I certainly do not work with… swashbucklers.” The last word was accompanied by an icy glare in Kitty’s direction. Kitty frowned at her comment, but couldn’t protest. She had outfitted herself in a truly piratical outfit, and now, too late, she realized she looked like a child playing adventurer. By the time Kitty looked up from her own clothes, the beautiful girl was gone.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

The shriek from the dying vampire echoed in the damp basement, but Kitty couldn’t bring herself to her usual boasting. Her small province hadn’t seen as many vampires as recently since the first infestation forty years ago, yet Kitty often found more remnants and remains than actual creatures. It was the woman, obviously. They hadn’t spoken since their first encounter, but Kitty knew that flashing silver gleam couldn’t belong to any other hunter.

There were not many in the area that hunted vampires, and those that did kept it a secret. Kitty had learned from a band of traveling hunters, all outcasts in their own right. They had long since left, going where they were most needed, so the arrival of the blonde woman sent a ripple through the local hunting community.

“I hear her blade’s made from Satan’s own bones!” an old man claimed.

Another said, “No, it’s her soul turned sorcerous and silver!”

“She’s a witch!”

“She’s one of them!”

Kitty had stopped going to hunting bars long before the woman showed up, but in a business as underground as hers, gossip was a necessity. Most of it was utter nonsense (A vampire that hunts its own?), but sometimes, rarely, she’d pick up something useful.

“Doesn’t matter if she’s b‘witched or what have you, I know for a fact: she’s going after that gang down by the docks tomorrow. A fool’s mission, but youth and arrogance love danger don’t they?” croaked a retired hunter at the bar. He seemed to live half in shadow, but Kitty knew he was telling the truth. Wagner was one of the travelers that had taught Kitty to hunt, only he’d stayed around to become a sailor when he got too old for the chase. The docks were his old territory, and few had tried to retame them after he left the business.

This was her chance to get the jump on the woman for once. Bravado and excitement were why Kitty hunted in the first place, so losing to the blonde had left a hole in Kitty’s spirit. The smug grin that had begun growing on Kitty’s face at the bar the night before filled her countenance with glee by the time she reached home. A flirt with danger and a chance to meet the woman once more in the field? Kitty could barely sleep.

* * *

The sun had started going down when the blonde woman finally arrived at the docks. Kitty had been waiting since midday, and her stomach had begun to protest. Kitty stuck to the shadows, but forced her stiff legs out of the awful crouch they’d been in for the greater part of an hour nonetheless. _What took her so long?_ Kitty thought, _Doesn’t she know vampires are stronger after sunset? Maybe she is one of them_.

Careful not to reveal her presence, Kitty trailed the woman, hoping to get a chance to steal a vampire from under her nose. Smelly and tired sailors had begun to trickle out of their boats back onto the boardwalk, and Kitty struggled not to lose the blonde in the growing crowds. Eventually, the crowd petered out and Kitty realized the girl had led her to the decaying storehouses from the old part of the docks. They hadn’t been used in years - by humans, that is.

Kitty followed the woman until she entered the largest of the decrepit buildings. Then, at the last moment, she veered into the alley next to it. A large window about twenty feet off the ground had a hole smashed in it, just large enough for Kitty to jump through, if she could get up there. She looked around the alley, spotting battered and worn cargo boxes near the back of the path. Making as little noise as possible, she hauled the crates as close as she could to the window. With a quick climb, she found herself looking through the jagged portal into the fray of a battle.

The woman had drawn her shining silver sword, dispatching vampires at a nearly inhuman speed. In mere minutes, Kitty watched in awe as she took the horde down from twenty to three. The woman was beautiful, covered in black splatter and grime. Unfortunately, she had failed to notice that one of the three vampires remaining was stealing away to get her from behind.

Kitty jumped through the window onto a low hanging platform, her soft leather boots muffling her landing. As quick and as deadly as a panther Kitty, snuck up behind the creeping demon and drew her sword. The creature raised itself up and snarled, ready to dash the blonde to shreds. The woman turned in surprise, only to be greeted by not the deadly claws of a vampire, but the tip of a steel blade. The monster vanished into black soot and gore, revealing a grinning Kitty Pryde.

“We have got to stop meeting like this!” Kitty said, smiling at the way the girl’s normally cold features were changed by shock. Kitty noticed, in the nick of time, another of the wicked creatures had come behind the other woman. With a graceful spin, she beheaded the vampire, and asked, “So, does the Silver Swordswoman have a name? Or would you prefer I guess, like Rumpelstiltskin?”

“I am not a wicked faery man,” the blonde pouted, clearly put off by the double rescue. She turned away from Kitty to scan for the final vampire.

Kitty stepped closer to her, “You like faery tales? I know quite a few about beautiful women being saved from foul beasts by dashing… swashbucklers.”

Stepping away from Kitty, the blonde woman rolled her eyes. Kitty though she saw her blush, but suspected it was the red light of twilight tricking her. Kitty asked again, “Will you tell me your name? Mine’s Kate Pryde, but most call me Kitty.”

“Like the animal?” the blonde girl smiled, “That suits you. You are very quiet footed, Katya.”

Kitty recognized the Russian version of her name, and asked, “Are you Russian? I learned some Russian in school once.”

The (apparently) Russian girl laughed softly at Kitty’s eagerness. Keeping her eyes on the dark corners of the warehouse, she held out her hand, “I am Illyana Rasputin. Thank you for saving my li-”

Her words were stopped suddenly when a great clawed hand tore at her side. The last of the horde had snuck up on the two women when they were talking. Kitty quickly lunged at the monster, plunging her sword to the hilt in the demon’s chest. As the vampire’s wicked body puffed into blackness, Illyana Rasputin fell at Kitty’s feet, a rose blooming in her ribs.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Kitty’s hands moved gently across Illyana’s torso as she changed the bandages on the deep gashes. The blonde hadn’t woken up in over 24 hours since the vampire had torn open her left side. Kitty had been able to stop the bleeding, but she was worried that if Illyana didn’t wake up soon, Kitty wouldn’t be able to keep her fed and hydrated. Thankfully, there were no signs of infection, but dehydration would weaken Illyana’s immune system too much to fight it off. After that, it was only a matter of time. You didn’t recover from torso infections, Kitty knew that.

The small apartment (located above the local hunter’s tavern) was only one room. Kitty had put Illyana on the bed, sleeping in quilts on the floor that night herself. The tea kettle was heating up on the unbelievably small stove, heating up water to sterilize the wounds and make some soup. Kitty stoked the little fire in the stove’s belly, willing it to boil the water faster. She would do anything to pass the time, unable to wake Illyana and unable to leave her side.  

During her fourth rearranging of her seven books, Kitty heard rustling in her bed. She got up and walked to the bed, as quickly and quietly as she had come to Illyana’s rescue at the docks. The Russian girl was attempting to sit up, wincing but not making any noise.

“No, no, don’t get up! You’re hurt, you need to rest,” Kitty said, trying to gently push Illyana back down onto the pillows. The pain in her face was apparent, but she pushed back against Kitty’s touch.

“No. I need to go back to hunting those monsters,” Illyana replied through gritted teeth. Her whole body trembled with effort, and soon her fresh bandages were crimson with fresh blood.

Kitty put her other hand on Illyana’s stomach and forced her back onto the bed insisting, “Look, your wounds are opening again. If you don’t let yourself heal, you’ll get an infection and die.”

Kitty kept her hands on Illyana’s stomach and shoulder until she was sure Illyana had relaxed again. Illyana’s face had reset itself to the cold, unfeeling expression she’d had when they’d first met. Kitty stared at her face, watching to see if it would reveal any pain, any emotion at all. Illyana was beautiful, but so icy, she was like snow. The tea kettle whistled, calling Kitty away. .

“I’ve never had a roommate before,” Kitty said over her shoulder as she stirred the ingredients for the soup together, “You’re a bit quieter than I would have imagined a roommate, but you also sleep more.” Kitty laughed at her own joke, hoping to lighten the mood and hide the worry in her voice. Illyana had no reaction, lost within her mind since Kitty had left her side.

Kitty sighed at the lack of response, and turned to her small cupboard to get bowls for the soup. Upon looking into her cupboard, Kitty realized she only owned one bowl, and that she would have to use the pot. Frowning, Kitty poured the soup into the bowl and carried it and the pot back to the bed.

“Is your cooking so bad even you grimace at its flavor?” Illyana smiled as she took the bowl from Kitty. Kitty was so surprised at the joke, she paused mid-spoonful, resembling a gasping fish. Illyana began to laugh, until she winced at the pain it caused her side. Kitty nearly dropped her pot of soup in response, but Illyana waved her away, trying to smile again.

Kitty sat back down and sighed, “I keep getting you hurt. No wonder you ‘work alone’.”

Illyana looked into the distance, “I work alone to save others, not myself, pain.” Kitty wanted to ask what she meant, but she bit her tongue. Illyana had opened up more than Kitty had ever dreamed, and she wouldn’t let her natural curiosity ruin the moment. The blonde woman had withdrawn from the world again, staring into the dark corners of the small apartment.

Kitty allowed herself to stare at Illyana, taking in her features. The Russian girl was breathtakingly beautiful, but the longer Kitty looked, the more minute imperfections she found. Her blunt bangs needed a trim, becoming uneven in some places. There were two small freckles under her right eye, and little white scars, like scratches, dotted her arms and shoulders, with a prominent one on her collarbone. Her hands were rough, calloused in the same places as Kitty’s, only Illyana’s were reversed: she was left-handed.  When Kitty’s eyes came back to Illyana’s face, their eyes met unexpectedly.

“Ar-are you finished with the soup?” Kitty stammered out, embarrassed that she’d been caught staring. Illyana handed her the empty bowl, but she did not look away from Kitty’s eyes. The icy blue irises were not the cold ones Kitty had met those many days ago, but Kitty couldn’t identify what secrets and emotions they held. Instead of deciphering Illyana’s eyes, Kitty took her bowl and went to the kitchen area to wash it.

The sun had begun to set at the start of their meal, and night had taken hold of the city. Despite herself, Illyana could not stop herself from yawning, the exhaustion of healing taking its toll. Kitty had already begun boiling more water to change Illyana’s bandages. Part of her hoped Illyana’s condition had improved enough that she would be awake during the day tomorrow, but she also hoped that Illyana would sleep long enough for Kitty to go hunting for vampires.

Kitty was immensely grateful that Illyana did not try to make conversation as her wounds were cleaned and rebandaged. _Whatever chance I had at getting to know Illyana is gone,_ Kitty thought as she gently reapplied fresh cloth wrapping to Illyana’s gashes, _I’m such a fool! But she didn’t look away when she caught me… I wonder why?_

When she was done playing nurse, Kitty went over to her chest and began to pull out the quilts she had used for bedding the night before. There were only two of them, and they weren’t the thickest quilts anymore, but Kitty had once slept in the woods as a part of her training with the traveling hunters. Nothing could be more uncomfortable than solid clay earth for a mattress, followed by being thrown into an icy creek as a wake up call.

“You shouldn’t sleep on the floor. It’s terrible for your back,” Illyana said as Kitty laid the quilts on the floor.

Kitty scoffed in response, “Well, I can’t have you on the floor! And that bed is so small, I’d have to sleep on top of you to share it. The floor is fine.”

Illyana looked away, murmuring, “Right. The bed’s too small.” With that, she rolled onto her uninjured side, away from Kitty, and the night ended.

* * *

Illyana was still sleeping when Kitty woke up the next morning. Her hair had fanned out around her face like a halo, and light from the window gave Illyana an angelic glow. As Kitty ate her oatmeal, she planned out her morning. Illyana’s bandages wouldn’t need changing until noon at least, so Kitty would have enough time to hunt the last few vampires remaining in the docks. She wasn’t looking forward to returning to the building where Illyana had been injured, but the vampire numbers there were so close to cleared, Kitty felt obligated to finish the job.

Just in case Illyana woke up before Kitty returned, Kitty wrote a small letter, reading:

_Miss Rasputin,_

_I have gone out to finish hunting the demons you kindly began decimating at the docks two days ago. I will be back around noontime, so do not worry about changing your bandages. There is some bread in the cupboard if you are hungry when you wake up. The tavern has a powder room, but be careful on the stairs. Do not worry about the tavern owner, we are good friends and he knows you are in my care. If you feel indecent going downstairs in just a dressing gown, I have some clothes in the chest by the bed. You are only a little taller than me, so they should only be a bit tight. Please do not feel as if you are inconveniencing me in any way. I have always wanted a roommate, and you have been better than I could have ever imagined._

_Sincerely, K. Pryde_

Kitty placed the letter on the small nightstand next to the bed, and, picking up her coat and sword, she left the apartment.

* * *

The clock in the tavern read half past one when Kitty arrived, covered in grime from hunting. With a groan at her own lack of timeliness, she went to the stairs that led to her apartment. Her curls had once again escaped during the fighting, so Kitty smoothed her hair as much as she could before entering the apartment. Something about the blonde girl healing on her bed made Kitty want to look more impressive, but Kitty couldn’t put her finger on why.

She tapped lightly on her door before entering, to ensure that Illyana wouldn’t be startled. The sheets of the bed were very rumpled, obscuring Kitty’s view of Illyana, so Kitty walked over to her.

The bed was empty, and Illyana’s sword and clothes were gone. Kitty’s letter was lying on the pillow. On the back, Illyana had written something, and her hand had smudged the ink. Kitty couldn’t help but laugh at the messiness of the beautiful girl’s writing, even though a heavy weight had settled in her chest upon realizing her guest was gone. Kitty sat down on the unkempt bed to read what Illyana had scribbled down:

_Thank you, Katya. May we meet again._

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

It had been a week since Illyana had left. Kitty had seen no signs that the Russian woman was still hunting in her province. The vampire levels were no longer in free fall, and hunters didn’t tell stories about a silver flash dispatching their prey moments before they themselves had drawn their swords. Thankfully, there were also no reports of a blonde corpse found bled out, or of new vampires that could have resembled Illyana. Kitty had come to the conclusion that Miss Rasputin had decided that her work in the province was finished, and she had left just as suddenly as she’d arrived.

Wagner had offered to buy Kitty some property down by the docks in gratitude for her dispatch of the infestation of demons, and Kitty planned to meet him at the docks by sundown. The docks were an excellent location to put a base of operations, and Kitty’s encounter with Illyana and the horde in the docks had filled her with a new purpose. She knew that there were still one or two depraved monsters lurking in the abandoned warehouses, but she could deal with them after her meeting with Wagner.

Clouds had darkened the sky prematurely, making it difficult for Kitty to spot the dashing ex-hunter in the shadows. He was wearing a captain’s hat and leaning against a cracking old wall of one of the warehouses. Wagner had a flair for the dramatic, and he had passed it on to Kitty during her months with the traveling hunters. Kitty smiled when she finally spotted him, waving at him to catch his attention.

“Ah, Miss Pryde! I was wondering if you’d ever show up,” Wagner grinned.

Kitty pouted, “You said sunset. It’s sunset!”

“Ah, you are mistaken, Katzen! I said meet me after dark, and the weather has deemed you late.”

With a laugh, Wagner led her into the warehouse behind them. It was brick, and seemed sturdier than the others like it. The door was large and heavy, and it groaned when Wagner shoved it open. The inside was vast and empty. Kitty could tell that the large windows would light the entire building during the day, but at night she would have to light it artificially. Wagner had set up a long table in the center of the main room, covered in maps and assorted weapons.

“Kurt, it’s amazing! But isn’t it a bit much for just me?” Kitty asked as she took in the room.

Wagner smiled, “I love the sea Kitty, but I miss this. The thrill of the chase! The daring escapes! You and the others.”

Kitty didn’t follow at first. Then, realization dawned on her and she hugged Wagner saying, “Oh! You’re coming out of retirement? Oh, this is wonderful! But…”

Kitty stepped back, looking at the room and the long table. She fell into her thoughts, receding from the warehouse. Her memories of the traveling hunters mixed and changed into fantasies of her and Kurt… and Illyana. The three of them at first, then the team grew, faceless hunters working together in the warehouse. Missions, big ones with ten hunters together, and small ones, with just Kitty and Illyana. Silver and steel, back to back, together, the perfect duo. Kitty snapped out of her reverie when Wagner put his hand on her shoulder.

“What is it, Kitty? I thought you’d be pleased. You’re crying,” Kurt said, brushing a tear Kitty hadn’t noticed off her cheek.

Kitty smiled softly, “I’m just imagining, Kurt. Things I wish could be, that’s all.” She hugged him, and turned to the table. After a moment, she pointed to a spot on the map saying, “We should start here. Vampires have been spotted in this area for the last week, and I fear they will attack this hospital soon.”

Kurt nodded in agreement, pleased that Kitty was going to go along with his idea, but worried about her, too. However, he pushed his nervous thoughts down and focused on the new mission. If Kitty wanted help or comfort, she would come to him. Distance and duty were what she wanted now, so Kurt was happy to move on to the discussions of beheading and bravery.

* * *

The plan was simple enough. Kitty would scout ahead, and Kurt would come after her to play clean up and ensure no vampires tried sneaking up behind her. Excitement buzzed through Kitty, a feeling she hadn’t had in far too long. Her sword was drawn and the cloudy grey daylight glinted off of the steel. The outskirts of town where the woods met the buildings had always been a popular area for vampires, and there were plenty of signs for Kitty to follow. Her trail was fresh and Kitty knew she was close.

The distinctive and acrid smell of recently slain vampire suddenly hit Kitty, stopping her dead in her tracks. Wagner was yards behind her, and the wind wasn’t strong enough to have carried the sulfurous scent to her. The local group of hunters (besides Kitty and Wagner) knew well in advance to their plans because of Kurt’s tendency to overshare after one too many drinks, so it wouldn’t be one of them either. She’d never heard of a vampire committing suicide, and the mere idea of a demon having the forethought to do so was ridiculous.

Kitty crept as quickly as she could without making noise to the source of the scent. From behind a tree not fifteen feet from Kitty’s hiding place, a vampire was flung back as if thrown. It got up, snarling at an unseen threat in front of it. A long gash in its face was seeping the ashy black blood that had stained many a hunter’s clothes. Whoever was hunting these monsters was clearly overwhelmed. A brand new hunter would know that the only wounds that counted in a demon fight were fatal ones, so only someone in a losing battle world tear open a vampire’s face like that. Kitty knew what had to be done, and leapt from her hiding spot to dispatch the wounded creature in one brutal stroke.

Kitty’s face dropped in shock when she saw who she had saved after the sooty cloud remains cleared. There, facing away from Kitty and surrounded by six vampires, was a panting Illyana Rasputin, her silver sword glowing even in the grey afternoon light. Illyana struck at vampire to her left, and Kitty used the opportunity to enter the fray from the right.

Kitty beheaded one of the demons and said over her shoulder, “This is really becoming a bit of a bad habit on your part.” She ducked under a clawed swipe, “I assumed you’d left town.”

Illyana used Kitty’s crouch to skewer the attacking vampire’s head replying, “I had to heal, so I laid low.”

“You could’ve healed at my apartment!” Kitty said, cutting off a claw coming for Illyana’s face, “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

Illyana slayed the one-armed demon, “Uncomfortable? You were the perfect host! I left to get out of your hair. I was a burden.”

“Helping people isn’t a burden!” Kitty shouted over the death-cry of another demon, “I wish you had stayed.”

The final two vampires fell simultaneously at Kitty and Illyana’s respective blades. Illyana turned to face Kitty, “You do?”

“Well, yeah. I wanted to get to know you. I think we’d make a good team,” Kitty replied, gesturing at the six death stains. Illyana’s face was impossible for Kitty to read. She’d seemed so surprised that Kitty would want her to stay.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence Illyana spoke up, “There’s a sire. About ten miles out of the town.”

Kitty had no idea how to respond to that. A sire would explain the rise in vampire numbers, and if someone slayed it, the province’s infestation would crumble in a matter of days. But why would Illyana bring it up? Unless…

“You want me to help you take down a sire?” Kitty asked, shocked at the proposal of teamwork from the reserved blonde.

Illyana looked away from Kitty’s shock, “Yes. If you want to.”

Kitty smiled and stepped closer to Illyana, “Of course! Do you have a plan?”

“Partly,” Illyana said, Kitty’s infectious smile spreading to her own mouth, “We could finish it at my cabin. It’s only a few hours journey from the sire’s lair.”

The two women were now only a foot apart. Kitty could see the little imperfections she had discovered that night at her apartment. Illyana was still smiling, lighting up her face even though she was covered in soot and grime from the fight. The inches between them suddenly felt like far too many to Kitty. She shifted her weight forward to get closer.

“Katzen!”

Like her namesake, Kitty jumped back from Illyana in surprise. Wagner had finally caught up to her. He was a little out of breath from running to find her, and he was leaning on a nearby tree.

“You are… very fast, Kitty! It appears my retirement has left me a bit out of shape!” Kurt laughed.

Kitty noticed that Illyana had once again set her face in stone. She turned to Kurt and said, “Wagner, this is Miss Rasputin. She is a traveling hunter, and she has asked me to assist on a mission.”

“Ah! Do you want my assistance?” Kurt asked.

“No!” Kitty blurted, rather abruptly, and recovered, “That is, it really doesn’t need more than just the two of us.”

Kitty knew that was a lie. A sire would almost certainly have vampires in the hundreds at its lair, but Kitty knew Illyana would not work with anyone other than her. She glanced at Illyana, and though her face was a block of ice, her body tension had relaxed when Kitty declined Kurt.

Turning back to Illyana, Kitty said, “We can start our journey to your cabin from the tavern. I only need a day to gather supplies, okay?”

Illyana nodded, and the plan was set.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

It had taken the entire day to ride out to Illyana’s cabin. By the time the horses had been put up for the night the only remnants of the sun were pink and purple streaks behind the horizon. Kitty was sore and exhausted from the long ride through the forest. She hadn’t ridden long distance in a few years, but she could’ve sworn there were more (and longer) breaks. Illyana didn’t seem to be bothered by the ride, although she hadn’t spoken to Kitty at all outside of ‘Turn ahead’.

Illyana’s cabin was small, but infinitely superior to Kitty’s apartment. It had three rooms, and a fireplace with a spit instead of a stove. Illyana went straight to the fireplace to start dinner while Kitty hung up her coat and spread out some of her supplies on the round wooden table in the main room. The light from the fire lit up the cabin, casting a warm and cozy aura. Kitty watched as Illyana put together the fire, noticing how this was the most relaxed she had ever seen her.

Their two swords were crossed on the table, the silver of Illyana’s sword reflecting off of the grey steel of Kitty’s. Kitty remembered her fantasy of the two of them hunting together, back to back, and smiled. A loud metallic clang startled Kitty from her thoughts.

Illyana had knocked over a few pans getting out a pot for the spit. Kitty went over to help pick them up and said “Let me help with those.”

Illyana murmured thanks and went back to the fire without looking at Kitty. Kitty couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d done something to cause Illyana to dislike her, even though Illyana _had_ invited her here. The smell of cooking broth had wafted from the fireplace, so Kitty took the opportunity to take two bowls from the cupboard and sit next to Illyana on the fur rug.

The Russian was staring into the flickering flames with an expressionless face. Kitty looked into the fire to see if she could see beyond them the way Illyana seemed to be. As she lost herself to the mesmerizing fire, Kitty reflected on the events that had led her here, to this cabin, this fire, this girl. Illyana had appeared in puff of black soot, the death of a demon. From “I work alone” to this cabin, Illyana had let Kitty into her world. Kitty had yet to figure out where exactly that was, but she found herself falling deeper without any desire to go back to where she knew things.

Kitty snapped back to the real world when a weight lifted out of her hands. Illyana was taking the bowl from her hands to fill it with the stew that had been cooking over the fire. She filled the bowl and handed it back to Kitty, and then filled her own. Kitty spooned up some of the hot food.

“Thank you,” Kitty said, looking directly into Illyana’s eyes.

Illyana smirked, “It’s just stew. It’s not that good,”

“Not just for the food. For… not working alone.”

Illyana tilted her head at Kitty like Kitty was a difficult puzzle. She then looked down, sighed, and went over to the table and picked up her sword.

“This blade was forged for me when I was very small. It is enchanted by the same black arts that power the scourge we hunt. The creature who… who helped me make it, he is the sire we will kill tomorrow,” Illyana explained, touching the blade with the reverence reserved for holy things. Her voice was filled with tragedy, and she continued, “His name is Belasco. He took me from my home, my family, when I was only six years old. My brother… he fought Belasco, and in the same way the vampire stole me from my family, Belasco stole my family from me. I was seven, and that is when I grew up. Too young to become one of his creatures, Belasco raised me as an heir to his throne. The next time a rescuer came for me, it was my hand that struck them down. Eight, nine, ten, my birthdays marked with blood on my hands and evil in my soul. Then on the eve of the seventh anniversary of my time with the demon, I was brought to an ironwork. There, I forged this sword with purest silver and an enchantment tying my very humanity to its blade. Should I ever use the sword against Belasco or any of his legion, I was fated to become one of them. Every drop of blood it spilled, my soul was to corrupt. But… I rebelled. At the last moment, I tied my soul to a new cause. The curse changed, and now the blade is only deadly to vampires and dark magic. And me. Should I spare a demon, the blade would strike me down, my soul gone.”

Illyana’s eyes were shining, but her voice remained steady. Kitty put down her bowl and moved next to Illyana, putting her hand on the silver blade next to Illyana’s hand.

Illyana continued, “I began my vengeance the next morning. I don’t know the exact numbers, but hundreds, at a minimum, fell at my sword. By the time, however, I reached Belasco’s throneroom, the despot had fled. I have been tracking him since then, following him from province to province, town to town. Now Belasco is here, and tomorrow I will honor my brother by ending his wicked existence.”

Her story over, Illyana sat in silence next to Kitty. The fire reflected off of the sword, casting Illyana in shifting lights and shadows. Every air of mystery that Illyana had come into Kitty’s life with had burned away, revealing the quiet young woman holding a shining sword. Kitty said nothing, knowing her words would be empty, and put her hand on Illyana’s.

A moment passed, and Illyana looked Kitty in the eye, “Thank you, for not letting me work alone.”

Not letting go of Illyana’s hand, Kitty leaned forward and kissed Illyana. It was soft and gentle, over as quickly as it began. Kitty leaned her forehead against Illyana’s, and whispered, “You couldn’t force me to leave.”

Now, Illyana started the kiss, stopping it to laugh at Kitty’s sappy lines. Both of them had tears on their cheeks, but the sorrow of the past had broken to the joy of the present. The kisses continued as the fire burned on. Kitty and Illyana fell asleep in each other’s arms, and the last ember cooled as the two drifted off completely.

 

 


End file.
